Research how the human spinal cord develops from conception to adulthood. How does the length of the spinal cord change compared to the length of the body from early fetal development to adulthood. Learn about defects that affect a developing baby's spinal cord, such as spina bifida. Prepare a poster board display with pictures of the stages of spinal cord development or a 6-foot measuring tape attached to a wall marked with the length of the spinal column at different stages of development.
Construct a model of the spinal cord and column using small, empty thread spools for vertebrae, thin dense foam or gel discs for the intervertebral discs and pipe cleaners joined end-to-end for the spinal cord and nerves. Research the size of the average spinal column and the length of the vertebral column. The spinal cord is shorter than the spinal column, so make certain you cord ends at the right location and you bring the proper number of spinal cord nerves out on each side of the spinal column. Label the vertebrae.
You can test the patellar reflex with an inexpensive patellar reflex hammer following the same method your doctor uses in his office. The patellar reflex is easy to test because it is a monosynaptic reflex requiring only one synapse to complete the circuit between the area below the kneecap that is tapped and the brain's signal to the thigh muscle to contract. The time between the tap and the beginning of the leg jerk is a mere 50 milliseconds. On poster board, draw the pathway of the signal from the knee to the brain and back to the thigh muscle.
Learn about injuries to the spinal cord and their effects. Draw the spinal column with spinal cord and label the body parts and organs affected when injuries occur at various locations. Research the injuries sustained by Christopher Reed and Joni Erickson Tada, and the medical interventions that assist with daily living. Find out what it means to be paraplegic or quadriplegic. Study the effect of diseases, such as meningitis and poliomyelitis, on the spinal cord. Write a report or give a speech about what you learn.
Each year, approximately 11,000 individuals sustain a spinal cord injury. Research the activities responsible for many of these injuries, and ways to lessen your risk. Find out if some types of injuries occur more frequently in certain age populations. Present spinal cord injury prevention information to your classmates, school or Scout troop. You can use graphs showing incidence of various injuries, prevention tips written on poster board, display safety equipment such as helmets and knee pads or handout brochures about how to lessen the risk of a spinal cord injury.